Changing of Students Attitude at PBL Class in Unsyiah, Aceh

Objectives: Since academic year of 2006, Dentistry Study Course University of Unsyiah, Aceh started PBL curriculum for the BDS degree. The Objective of this study is to identify the changing of what the students feel and what they expect about PBL, after they follow the class ; Methods: First-year students (n=80) , age 18-20 completed questions at the beginning and last week of classes in first semester 2006. Students were asked to indicate: what they would say about the process, the concept and content of the modul that they had learnt from the semester 1 PBL packages (reability test = 0.88) . The responses were analysed using an inductive thematic approach. Results: The return rate before and after the course was 93-98%%. The majority of students perceived PBL as an important strategy for dentistry student (increased from 83% TO 93.8%). Student identified that they had achieved educational objectives of PBL. PBL has succeeded in motivating the students for reading text book (increased from 66.2% to 86.3%). At the end of the learning session, most of the students (92.5%) agreed that learning with PBL system was more fun (increased from 66.21%). Moreover, the students also stated that PBL made them more comfort at the class (increased from 47.3% to 73%). The study results showed that the increasing of confirming statement will be followed by the decreasing of uncertainity. Conclusions: There was an attitude changing concerning PBL with the students who was previously attended conventional learning strategy. The changing was mainly in the role of the PBL with the dentistry students. PBL system has motivated students to read text book, attending the class comfortably and happily.